Burial vault



Jan. 20, 119,25.

H. H. ALTHOFF BURI AL VAULT Filed Dec. 21I 1925 2 Shouts-Shoot 2 HENKYHL THoF-'F A TTOH/VEYS which drain pipe is preferably provided with a strainer 2l which discharges into a somewhat inverted container 22 supplied with a small amount of gravel or other rough material 23.

As the vault is waterproof and substantially air-proof `no water or other liquid can enter unless it should rain while the cover 8 is removed;v this very seldom occurs, but` it has been found that moisture gathers f on the walls of the passageway 18 and drops to the bottom, said moisture resulting from condensation and probably 'from causes un known, In order that the vault may remain y .comparatively dry, the drain pipe :Z and associated parts are provided to remove this condensation. As the vault is substantially air tight, it has been :tound that there is no backward seepage through pipe 2O and thevault 1s maintained in a con'iparatively dry state continually. It will be noted that 4the. sealing member 7 presents what may be termed a temporary seal, which will Qmaintain the vault tight continually but permit ready removal or' the cover in case it should be desired to place a new body in the vault. at any time. It is. ofcourse,

evident that when the vault is completely filled a permanent sealing material could be applied, though ordinarily the lead or .othersealing member 7 would prevent as `effective sealing as necessary.

That I claim is l. A burial vault, comprising a bottom,

side walls, end walls and a top merging, into the side and end walls, said top in turn merging into av forwardly extending collar having a projectingflange, a cover resting on said flange, and collapsible sealing means arranged between the cover and liange.

2. Ina burial vault, a top member havv,ing an opening, said top member being inclined on its upper surface and adapted to be spaced below the surface of the ground,

said top member having a, neck around said `a vault body torm'ed with a top having an opening and a shoulder suripululing the opening, part ot said shoulder being provided with a groove extending entirely around the opening'. a hollow sott-metal nienibertarranged in .said groove and pro jeeting therefrom.y and a cover adapted to rest on said sott-metal ineniber, said cover .being sutiiciently` heavy to collapse, to a. certain extent, said metal whereby a substantially air-tight seal is produced.

In a burial vault., a body provided with an opening at the top, said body having an annular projecting nieinber surrouiuling said opening and provided with a groove in its upper suriace, a lead pipe arranged in said groove and projecting upwardly therefrom, and a cover plate having a groove in its lower surlace adapted to receive said upwardly extending portion and said lead pipe, said cover being of sutlicient weight` to collapse the lead pipe and produce a substantially air-tight connection.

5. A burial vault,` comprising a bottom,

`side walls, end walls and a converging top `cover resting on said tlange, and means arranged on top of said Hange engaged by said cover for sealing the cover.

HENRY H. ALTHOFB 

